Smart Business Magazine, June 2017

112 Smart Business Cleveland June 2017 The devil is in the details Get the small things right to make your corporate event a big success Timing and energy can make or break a corporate event Everything matters says Matt Radicelli founder and CEO of Rock The House Audio Visual The audio video lighting cues color palette music every detail is noticed by attendees making them all important to the events success Events such as kickoff and annual meetings trade shows conventions seminars even galas and fundraisers might not all incorporate every production element but moving the event through its stages without disruption means the difference between average and excellent An event is the vessel used to deliver a brand message he says It must keep peoples attention A quality production can do that Otherwise attendees leave thinking they wasted their time Smart Business spoke with Radicelli about what it takes to put on a top notch event What production elements have become more common at corporate events Corporate event productions recently have taken a more relaxed fun approach There are more musical or video introductions and theres an emphasis on interactive engagement through technology such as smartphone apps that allow people to instantly give feedback Events have bounced back from the years during the recession that saw pared down presentations Now people are chasing bigger and better more fun and more excitement and engagement And theyre seeing that its not necessary to spend big money to achieve that Regardless of its size or budget an event can be great just by ensuring the audio and video cues are right on that the content is quality and that the event structure including breaks are intelligently planned There are however popular flourishes such as video bumpers with 3 D graphics and celebrity interludes that show up more How important is timing and energy to a corporate event The timing and energy of an event are critical to its success Properly planned events with great timing can do well despite having a small budget Its important that the event starts on time as should all other aspects of the event For instance when the speaker introduces a video it needs to start on cue at the appropriate volume level and in coordination with the lights dimming Otherwise there are awkward moments that prevent attendees from becoming immersed Bad timing elicits unwelcomed emotional responses giving attendees the sense that things arent going well That can throw the energy of the whole event off which likely means the brand and message are negatively affected Attendees level of engagement suffers because theyve been distracted by poor production What common mistakes do companies make in the planning stage that can hurt an event Most common is that the agenda and program are not being properly scripted which throws off the timing some portions run long requiring that other portions are cut short to compensate Script or plan out the agenda to cover everything that will happen from who talks how long the type of microphone theyll use and more This keeps everyone on the same page Another common mistake is not giving enough time for the setup of the event Typically setup should be done the day or night before the event Trying to save money by cramming setup into the few hours before start time rarely has good results How can companies ensure their corporate events are well produced Take notes at events and use those notes when talking with your production partner to convey the elements that worked and what didnt Talk with people who host events and pick their brain to learn their lessons And trust the professionals hired for the job Give opinions talk about goals and give feedback during pre planning conversations and then let them do their job A good production partner can apply its knowledge to make the program more palatable for attendees From parking considerations that factor in traffic patterns to ensuring power is available to charge attendees myriad devices its important that every detail is considered so guests needs and comfort are accounted for MATT RADICELLI Founder CEO Rock The House Audio Visual 440 232 7625 matt radicelli@ rthav com Insights Entertainment Services is brought to you by Rock The House WEBSITE Take your meetings or events to the next level Contact Rock The House Audio Visual at www rthav com sbn INTERVIEWED BY ADAM BURROUGHS INSIGHTS ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES

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